Valve structure



March 26, 1935. E. D. FLINTERMANN 1,995,845

VALVE STRUCTURE Filed May 18, 1931 i f h V I Hm "u I,

/' INVENTOR 5494 ,5. Flinermann RNEYS.

Patented Mar. 26, 1935 PATENT OFFICE VALVE STRUCTURE Edgar D. Flintermann, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Michigan Steel Casting 00.

Application May 18, 1991, Serial No. 538,109

2 Claims.

This invention relates to closure structures for furnaces and it has particular relation to the provision of a gate or valve structure for controlling the flow of gases to or from furnaces.

The invention has for its main objects the provision of a gate structure of the above indicated character which is relatively simple, durable and which may be manufactured at a, minimum of expense; the provision of a gate structure which does not readily warp and distort; the provision of a gate structure which constitutes a particularly effective barrier to the flow of hot gases; the provision of a sectional gate structure from which defective units may be removed and replaced at a minimum expense and with'a minimum of lost time.

Heretofore in the construction of furnaces, particularly those of the open hearth type, or similar types, in which a duct or conduit termed a flue has been provided for conducting away the hot gases, it has been customary to provide a suitable gate or valve structure for regulating the flow of gases to suit particular conditions of operation. Since these spent gases as they emerge from the furnace are heated to a relatively high temp-erature, it has been considered necessary to provide a cooling system for conducting away the heat transferred to the gate or valve from the gases. For this purpose, it has heretofore been customary to provide hollow chambers in the gate and to connect these chambers by means of a conduit to a suitable source of cooling fluid. Obviously, such construction wascomplicated and expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the presence of the relatively cool gate or valve in proximity to the interior of the furnace resulted in excessive radiation of heat and a resultant lowering of the eiflciency of the furnace as a whole. Also, the circulation system employed for conducting the cooling fluid was likely tofail at critical moments, causing delay and loss in the operation of the furnace;

The presentinvention relates to valve structure which is composed of a relatively large number of units, the exposed ones of which are composed of a heat resistant alloy. These units are so arranged with respect to each other that distortion due to relatively high temperatures is minimized. Where a structure of this character is employed the use of a cooling system withthe resultant expense, trouble and lowering efliciency of the furnace is obviated. For a better under standing of the invention reference may now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a gate or valve constructed in accordance with the pro visions of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing one of the units of the valve structure together with the connections for attaching it to adjacent units:

Fig, 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing on a larger scale the connection or joint 7 between units of the gate;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional View showing on a larger scale, a device for preventing longitudinal displacement of difierent sections of the gate with respect to each other;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a slightly different form of device for preventing longitudinal displacement of different'sections;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a furnace flue showing the improved gate structure in position, and o Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 7--7 in Fig. 6.

In practicing the invention, a furnace flue 10 of conventional design is providedwith guides 12 at either side disposed at a slight angle with respect to the vertical for a purpose which is presently to be described. A suitable Valve or gate structure 14 is slidably disposed for reciprocation within these guides and may be operated by means of a rod 16 which is attached thereto and which may be operated by means of suitable mechanism (not shown). The gate 10 is provided with an upper section 18 of trapezoidal contour which, since it is not exposed to high temperatures, may be formed of cast iron or other ordinary metal. The upper portion of this section may be provided with a marginal flange 20 which is bored at or near the center lineof the gate to receive the lower end of the operating rod 16. The rod may be held in position within the opening by means of upper and lower nuts 22 and 24 in a conventional manner.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and .5, the lower edge of the section 18 is provided with a pair of flanges 26 extending outwardly, downwardly and then inwardly to define a T-shaped groove 27, which extends the entire width of the section, the outer edges or sides of flanges 26 being disposed in the same plane as the edges of the flange 20. The groove 2'7 is adapted to receive a T flange 23 formed along the upper margin of an intermediate section 30,thus providing a flexible connection between the two. This section is provided with flanges or ribs 32 and 34 upon opposite sides thereof which are disposed slightly below the T flange 28 in position partially to protect the flanges 26 from the direct blast of hot gases, and which are of the same cross sectional width as the flanges 20and 26. The section is also provided with end flanges 36 and 33 of the same cross sectional width as the flanges 34 and 32. These flanges extend downwardly from the flanges 32 and 34 and are integrally formed with other flanges 40 along the lower margin of the channel;

Section which are identical in construction with the flanges 26.

As many intermediate sections 30, all of which have grooves at one edge (preferably the lower) mating with corresponding T flanges upon the edge of the adjacent section, as may be desired may be secured together by sliding the T flanges 28 of one member within the corresponding.

grooves 27 of the adjacent member in order to form a gate or valve of any desired height. It is, of course, to be understood that the lowermost section of the gate may be provided along its bottom edge with a simple flange 42 corresponding to the marginal flanges and 38 in the upper section 18 and the intermediate section 30. By adopting this construction for the lower section, a slightly simplified and less expensive structure is obtained. 1

In order to obviate longitudinal displacement of the flanges 28 within the grooves 27 mating lugs 44 and 46 may be formed upon a flange 26 and the corresponding flange 32 respectively. These lugs are formedv with openings 48 within which a keypin 50 of L shape may be dropped, thus positively securing the. sections together against relative movement laterally of the valve.

In theform of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the flanges 26 are provided with transversely extending openings 52 which are disposedin axial alignmentwith respect to notches '54 formed in the upper edges of the T flanges 28. The openings together with the notch receive a transversely. extending bolt 56 which may be maintainedv inposition by -means of a conventional nut .58. i

In the construction of a gate in accordance with the principles of the invention the T flange 28 of the first-intermediate section is slid longitudinally into the-groove 2'7and is securedain position either bymeans of a pin 50 within openings in lugs 44 and 46-01 by-means of a through bolt 56. As many sections as may be desired'are thus secured together to form .a gateor valve which is composed of relatively movable units. The assembled structure is then slid within the guides 12 andlowered bymeans of supporting rod 16 to the desired position in order to obtain the requisite, flow of gases through the flue. Whenthe gate is open or partially closed and is suspended from the rod 16, the lower edges. of the T flanges 28 contact with the lower inner surfaces ofthe grooves 27 and thus providev a substantially gas tight seal. Similarly, if the gate is completely closed, so that theweight is borne upon the lower section, aseal is effected by contact of the upper face of the T flange 28 with the upper inner face of the groove or by contact of the loweredges of the flanges 26 with the upper facesof flanges 3234, or .contactis made at both points simultaneously.

Since the flangesZO, 38, 36, 34, 32 and 26 all extend outwardly .equal distances from the plane of the section composing the valve, it is manifest that an efiective seal is formed between the margins of the gate and the side walls of the The eflectiveness of this seal is increased by reasonof the fact that the guides 12 are inclined as shown in Fig. 6 in such manner thattheflanges upon one side of the valve are maintainedpositively in contact with the lower avi y. 7

All of the intermediate sections 30 and the bottom section 32 of the valve are composed preferably of a heat resistant alloy such as chrome steel or a chrome nickel alloy. Since these alloys are familiar in the art-they need not be described in detail. Because of the use of these alloys the gate structures are inherently quite durable. Furthermore, since the gates are composed of relatively small sections, it is obvious that only a relatively small degree of distortion may be imparted to any given section. For this reason even though a particular section may be distorted, the distortion to the structure as a whole is relatively slight.

In case any particular unit of the structure becomes unduly defective it may readily be removed and replaced by a new unit. In normal operation ofthe furnace it will be apparent that the lower unit 42 is exposed to the highest temperatures and to the strongest flow of oxidizing gases, andfor that reason it needs to be replaced more frequently than any of-the other units. The construction constituting the subject matter of the present invention .is particularly effective where replacement ofthis section or the sections adjacent thereto is necessary. This is true because, to replace these bottom sections it is onlynecessary to-remove the re-' quired pin or bo1t'56 and then to slide the defective section longitudinally from the groove of the adjacent section. The sections above the one to be removed are not disturbed. To effect this longitudinal movement of the defective section it is merely necessary to remove the valve structure from the guides 12 or, if desired,- a

suitable opening in the side of the furnace flue may be provided thus permitting removal-of the section without complete removal of the entire valve.

Although I have described only the preferred forms of the invention it is to be understood that these forms are merely illustrative and that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from'the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A valve structure for flues comprising guides disposed in the side walls of the flue at an angle with respect to the vertical and a gate reciprocable within the guides, said gate being formed of independently movable sections, the sections having flanges formed'about the mar gins thereof, the flanges at the ends of each section being adapted to rest against the lower wall of-theguides in order to provide seals about the sides 01 the gate.

2. A valve structure for flues comprising guides disposed transversely of the flue and at an angle with respect to the vertical, a gate composedof a plurality of sections'disposed transversely of and slidable within the guides, certain of said sections each having a T-shaped flange formed along a longitudinal edge thereof, certain of said sections each having opposed flanges formed along a longitudinal edge thereof and directed outwardly and then inwardly to define a T- shaped groove adapted to slidably receive the correspondingly shaped flange of an adjoining section, and opposed flanges on the ends of the sections of the same cross-sectional width as said first named opposed flanges.

EDGAR D. FLIN'I'ERMANN. 

